Republican Sinn Féin has rejected an appeal by Gerry Adamsto discuss policing in Northern Ireland. The Sinn Féinpresident had offered to meet other republicanorganisations to discuss the PSNI in advance of Sinn Féin'sardfheis on January 28th.

Speaking at his Falls Road headquarters yesterday, Mr Adamssaid: "We've made contact with the 32 County SovereigntyMovement, and I see that as a separate initiative from anydialogue with the armed groups. We want to be inclusive, wewant to talk and to listen to people who oppose us. The keyis to try to get an end to any armed actions from anyrepublican element."

Although Mr Adams stressed yesterday he was not appealingto so-called "dissidents", Mr Ó Brádaigh said in astatement: "Who is Mr Adams addressing? Is it the peoplewho have resigned recently from his party? For our part weare not dissidents. Mr Adams knows well our core values,"he continued. "He knows that no reconciliation is possible.Republican Sinn Féin's values were once his own, before heand the Provos decided to accept the institutions ofBritish rule in Ireland. The discussions he proposes do notrefer to us."

Mr Adams begins a series of public consultation meetingsaimed at addressing grassroots republican concerns atendorsement of the PSNI. The meetings begin in Toome, CoDerry, and Galbally, Co Tyrone, on Saturday. He said theoutcome of the ardfheis was not a foregone conclusion andexpected some people might walk in to some of the publicmeetings so that they could walk out.

Republicans opposed to Sinn Féin's moves on policing met onWednesday night and heard pointed criticism from formerSinn Féin ardchomhairle member Gerry McGeogh. He said thatsenior Sinn Féin members were "waddling into 10 DowningStreet for orders from the British government".

"There is nothing for us to do in 10 Downing Street. All 10Downing Street have to do is say they are leaving Irelandonce and for all."

Mr Adams said: "It is always easy to draw a crowd in termsof a 'tiocfaidh ár lá' speech. We're not going to be drawninto silly name-calling."

Looking ahead to next week's report by the PolicingOmbudsman into alleged loyalist-RUC collusion, Mr Adamssaid he thought Nuala O'Loan's report would "vindicateeverything we have said".

"It will indicate there was collusion and it will show someof the dastardly things that were done by police officers."He said this would act as an argument for republicans tobecome involved in policing. "Unionists will have to askthemselves when they hear this report next week, was thisdone in their name?" The key for democratic parties was tokeep the police services in both parts of Irelanddemocratically accountable, he added.

Emotions and anti-Sinn Fein sentiment ran high at a majorrally in the heartland of disaffected republicanism, wheresupport for policing was ruled out but a return to violencewas not.

Around 400 republicans opposed to the PSNI and Sinn Fein'ssupport of it packed a conference room of the Tower Hotelin Londonderry last night in anticipation of a heateddebate, but as one audience member pointed out, thespeakers were preaching to the converted as Sinn Feinshunned the meeting.

Chaired by John Kelly, former Sinn Fein member and afounder of the Provisional IRA, the meeting heard from IRSPand 32 County Sovereignty Movement representatives andindependents.

Sinn Fein took a rain check, instead sending a messagewhich was read out amid mild heckling.

"Arising from our ongoing commitments to hold policingtalks around the north we are unable to attend," it said.

The overwhelming message from speakers and audience on thenight was that any acceptance of the PSNI was "conferringlegitimacy on the British presence in Ireland".

Francie Mackey, formerly of Sinn Fein and last nightrepresenting the 32 County Sovereignty movement said: "Itis not relevant whether they are Catholic or Protestant orcome from Tipperary or Tyrone, they are enacting andenforcing the laws of a foreign occupying power in ourcountry."

Former IRA gunrunner Gerry McGeough, an independent who islikely to run against Sinn Fein in any upcoming election,said he sensed a growing rebellion among republicans notfelt since Bobby Sands' landslide election in 1981.

"Sinn Fein know something is up and they are about to behit with the political equivalent of a tsunami," he said.

"The entire republican movement is a complete and absoluteshambles. The British are more in control than ever. Howhave we ended up here? With an inept and bunglingleadership. While we were suffering they were alreadyengaging with the enemy o further their own politicalcareers."

He continued: "Republicans are totally and utterly fed up.We don't recognise any British police force here inIreland. It is totally unacceptable. Sinn Fein has lost allmoral right to represent the republican people of Ireland -they must and shall be replaced."

The Good Friday Agreement was roundly denounced anddescribed by Independent Tony McPhillips as a "treacherous"attempt to "disarm" republicans.

He said there was disagreement among the speakers over apossible return to violence. But he made his own opinionclear: "As long as there is any form of British rule inIreland there will be Irish men and women willing toresist. And I as an Irish republican will do nothing inword or deed to discourage those brave people."

SINN Féin president Gerry Adams has launched a scathingattack on the behaviour of the PSNI in Castlederg.Ironically, his remarks came during the press conferenceannouncing the party executive's decision to endorsepolicing arrangements in the North.

Mr Adams called on the Irish and British governments toinvestigate the arrest and subsequent court appearances ofyoung nationalist males in Castlederg.

West Tyrone MLA Barry McElduff, who attended the ardcomhairle meeting held at the Great Southern Hotel atDublin Airport said, "There has been a large number havebeen paraded before the courts on all kinds of spuriouscharges to do with public order and they are being placedunder curfew or sent to prison. We are asking for aninvestigation into the PSNI conduct in Castlederg at thistime."

Hed that the arrests and prosecutions of the young menwould invariably lead to difficulties attaining employmentand acquiring visas for America.

"Gerry Adams has added his voice calling for the twogovernments to take a look at what is happening," said CllrMcElduff.

The Sinn Féin leader's call was welcomed by local CllrCharlie McHugh.

"The perception on the ground here is that it is a partisanpolice force determined to give nationalist youth acriminal record," said Cllr McHugh. "There is one lad whohas been before the courts three times and on each occasionhe was cleared of committing any offence."

Last year a protest was held in Castlederg to highlightgrievance at what is being perceived as 'politicalpolicing.'

Cllr McHugh added, "The situation has only got worse.Obviously there is an agenda at work and a spotlight needsto be shone at the behavior of the PSNI in Castlederg. Wewelcome Gerry Adams's remarks and there needs to be a fullinquiry about what is going on here."

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission and its Irishcounterpart today called for the appointment of a top judgeto examine the need for a cross-border public inquiry intothe Omagh bombing.

Professor Monica McWilliams, chief commissioner of theNorthern Ireland Human Rights Commission and Dr MauriceManning, president of the Irish Human Rights Commission,urged British and Irish governments to review circumstancesand events surrounding the atrocity to see if a publicinquiry was needed.

They said the review should be along the lines of thatcarried out by retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory whoexamined allegations of state collusion in four highprofile murders and recommended public inquiries.

Prof McWilliams and Dr Manning specifically proposed aserving or retired judge of international standing shouldexamine all available material about the bombing in which29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, werekilled and hundreds more injured.

In an unprecedented joint statement they said “We furtherrecommend that the purpose of such a review will be todetermine whether it is appropriate to institute a North-South inquiry into the atrocity”.

Dr Manning said: “We certainly do not want to do anythingthat would prejudice any future trials or legal action. Butwe believe there is enough new material that has emergedwhich should help the person appointed to decide whether ornot the truth about Omagh will be found through a publicinquiry.”

Families of the victims have been calling for such a cross-border inquiry into the 1998 bombing for years – callswhich have fallen on deaf ears in the corridors of power inLondon and Dublin.

The move by the two human rights chiefs came the day afterthe end of the 56-day trial of Sean Hoey, the south Armaghelectrician charged with the Omagh bombing and a series ofother attacks.

The judge involved in the non-jury trial is expected toreturn his verdicts on a total of 56 charges within twomonths.

In April a civil action by the Omagh families against fivemen they believe to be responsible for the bombing is dueto begin in the High Court in Belfast.

Nearly three years ago Judge Cory recommended publicinquiries be held into four murders because he said he haduncovered enough evidence to suggest state collusion in thekillings was a possibility.

The murders were those of:

:: Catholic solicitor Patrick Finucane who was shot dead byloyalists in front of his family in their north Belfasthome;

:: Catholic solicitor Rosemary Nelson who was killed by abomb planted under her car which exploded as she drove awayfrom her Lurgan, Co Armagh home;

Sinn Féin has announced that Árd Comhairle member MartinaAnderson will address the Bloody Sunday annual march on28th January.

Ms Anderson said:

“I was deeply honoured to have been asked by the party tospeak on behalf of Sinn Féin at the annual Bloody SundayMarch. As a Derry woman who was raised in the Bogside theevents of Bloody Sunday had a deep impact on my politicalconscience and impelled me to become a republican activist

“Sinn Féin’s support for the families of Bloody Sunday hasbeen unparalleled and our commitment to uncover the truthof what happened that day remains as steadfast now as itdid on Sunday 30th January 1972 when the shooting stopped.

“Unfortunately due to the extraordinary Árd Fheis beingheld in Dublin many of the Sinn Féin leadership will beunable to attend. The Árd Comhairle did everything in itspower to avoid a clash but due to the timeframe and size ofvenue needed this was unavoidable.

“Sinn Féin has met with the families to explain thisposition and while there will be 2000 members at the ÁrdFheis the party is encouraging and organising for all othermembers to attend the commemoration."ENDS

The lawyer representing a businessman whose assets werefrozen yesterday by the UK's Assets Recovery Agency (ARA)has denied his client has been involved in criminality.

This follows the seizure of £11.8 million (€17.97 million)of assets in the Manchester area, the largest action takento date by the ARA, which is the UK equivalent of theCriminal Assets Bureau in the Republic.

The agency alleges that 77 properties, mostly residential,in the greater Manchester area have been funded by theproceeds of financial crime and used to launder money. Theproperty portfolio, with an equity value of about £4.7million, consists largely of tenanted flats and housesowned and operated by property companies in Manchester.

The agency told the High Court in London yesterday itbelieved businessmen Paul Dermot Craven and Brian Pepperestablished the portfolio through the proceeds of unlawfulconduct, including money laundering, tax evasion, falseaccounting, mortgage fraud and benefit fraud.

The Irish Times understands that case was referred to theARA by the Metropolitan Police in London followinginvestigation by the force's Anti-Terrorist Squad.

It is further understood that alleged IRA leader Thomas"Slab" Murphy's farm on the Louth-Armagh border wassearched as part of this investigation.

The court actions also follow a highly publicised searchoperation in Manchester in October 2005 which resulted inmore than 350,000 pieces of evidence being taken forfurther examination.

Mr Craven has always protested he has no connection withany republican activity.

His solicitor, Michael Kenyon, criticised the ARA, which isdue to be merged with the Serious Organised Crime Agency(SOCA). "As far as we are concerned these are just thedeath throes of a failing agency which is earmarked forclosure," he said yesterday.

Jane Earl, UK director of the Assets Recovery Agency, said:"This is the latest stage in one of the largest and mostcomplex investigations the agency has undertaken."

The agency has served property freezing orders on DermotCraven Developments Ltd, based in Sale, Manchester, andcompany directors Brian Pepper of Bridgewater Street, Sale,Manchester, and Dawn Craven.

Orders have also been made against Avenue Holdings Ltd,Craven House, also in Sale, and company directors PaulDermot Craven, Brian Pepper and Gerald Joseph Nightingale.

Also included in the orders is DC&BP (2004) Ltd, CravenHouse, Sale, and company directors Dermot Craven and BrianPepper. However, the ARA has not alleged any criminalconduct by Dawn Craven or Gerald Joseph Nightingale but hasfrozen property held by them, or by companies of which theyare directors, because it alleges the property is theproceeds of crime.

Northern political representatives and the PSNI chiefconstable, Sir Hugh Orde, have expressed alarm at theproposed merger of the ARA and SOCA, despite Britishgovernment assurances that the combination of agencies willenhance the fight against organised crime.

The image of Mrs Ervine and Mr Adams embracing outside theEast Belfast Mission, where the funeral service was heldlast Friday, was a poignant reminder of how far NorthernIreland has come since the dark days of the Troubles.

And it is this progress, in which the PUP leader played asignificant part, that Mrs Ervine hopes her husband will beremembered for.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programmeyesterday, the 56-year-old former Barnardo's workerexplained just how much the outpouring of grief over MrErvine's death has meant to her and her family.

"It was very significant. There was something special aboutcoming together under one roof to share with us in ourgrief. It was amazing," she said.

"It gave us so much strength that so many people cared.There were Mass cards, letters, telephone calls, peoplecalling to the house, it was tremendous.

"It was a big comfort. It was really heartwarming to seepeople embrace and talk together. I can't thank peopleenough."

Gerry Adams came in for high praise for attending thefuneral of a man who he would have seen as an enemy 15years ago.

"It was very brave – absolutely brave to come along andexpress his sympathies. He said it was in respect of agreat man," said Mrs Ervine.

"I was surprised but there had been representatives of SinnFein call at the house. I thought it was wonderful. It washuge they did that. There again it showed the respect theyhad for David and recognised him as a good man.

"I thought he was very, very brave in doing that, cominginto the Protestant heartland. He did it entirely withoutthinking about himself but of his respect for David and tosympathise with his family. I thought that was really bigof him."

Mark Ervine, 34, Jeanette's eldest son, said Mr Adams'presence at the funeral has convinced him "peace is anabsolute certainty".

"When Gerry Adams left the church there was not a sound.People from that community (east Belfast) respected that hecame," he said.

"Not so long ago people were trying to kill each other butnow people were being quiet to allow him to pay hisrespects."

Mark and his mother said they are hopeful that the conductof the mourners is a sign that Northern Ireland is readyfor peace.

"We have made strides. There's still more to be done. Ithink for David it would be very significant if we were tocontinue to make this a better place for the children, towork hard to make it happen," said Mrs Ervine.

The visa requirement for Irish visitors to Colombia hasbeen lifted, following representations from Minister forForeign Affairs Dermot Ahern. The restriction wasintroduced following the August 2001 arrest of the"Colombia Three" on terrorism charges at Bogota's El DoradoAirport.

The three Irishmen - Niall Connolly, Martin McCauley andJames Monaghan - were initially found not guilty on themain charges of training FARC guerrillas, but this wasreversed on appeal. However, they jumped bail and returnedto Ireland rather than serve their 17-year sentences.

Following the initial arrests, the Colombian authoritiesissued a ruling that - uniquely among European Union memberstates at the time - that all Irish citizens would requirea visa for travel to Colombia.

Ironically, only Niall Connolly was holding an Irishpassport when arrested while his two companions were usingBritish passports, but no visa requirement was imposed forBritish passport-holders.

On the instructions of Mr Ahern, officials from thedepartment made representations to the Colombianauthorities on the matter last year, initially withoutsuccess.

However, the Colombian foreign ministry has lifted the visarequirement as of January 1st, for all Irish citizens whowish to visit Colombia temporarily and for Irish touriststo Colombia.

According to the order signed by Foreign Minister MariaConsuelo Araujo, the lifting of the visa requirement wasrecommended by the director for Europe in the foreignministry, "taking into account that Ireland has succeededin becoming one of the most economically and sociallyadvanced countries in the EU and it is appropriate toinitiate a process of rapprochement and diversification ofthe agenda with this country".

Colombia is keen to develop greater economic links, butthis was being hindered by the visa requirement. TheColombians have also been appreciative of the supportivestance Mr Ahern has taken in relation to their peaceprocess and the country's controversial "justice and peacelaw", aimed at demobilising former guerrillas andparamilitaries.

Commenting on the move, Mr Ahern said: "I very much welcomethe decision of the Colombians to lift the visarequirements for Irish citizens. We have been workingsteadily through our ambassador in Mexico to have thisrequirement lifted and now that hard work has borne fruit.

"As far as I am concerned it was not sustainable to haveIreland, almost alone among countries in western Europe, tocontinue to be singled out with the requirement that itscitizens require entry visas."

The Colombian authorities applied in September 2005 for the"Colombia Three" to be sent back from Ireland, but weretold by the Government that the documentation supplied didnot form a sufficient legal basis for extradition.

Although heavily trailed beforehand, there was nothing newin last week's written statement from Tony Blair on thefuture role of MI5 in Northern Ireland. It amounted to nomore than a repetition of what is already laid down in therelevant section (annex E) of the St Andrew's Agreement,writes David Adams

Despite this, Sinn Féin followed with a ludicrous claimthat it had made "significant progress" in negotiationsaround accountability and future relationships between MI5and civic policing. It left one wondering why the subjecthad been raised at all, but only for a few hours.

It soon emerged that around the same time as Blair'sstatement was being delivered to the House of Commons, theBritish government was distributing a letter to NorthernIreland's political parties informing them that the AssetsRecovery Agency (ARA) is to be abolished.

The high-profile airing of MI5's role in Northern Irelandhad been an attempt by both the British government and SinnFéin to deflect public attention from this far more seriousdevelopment.

By their own measure, republicans had indeed madesignificant progress in the negotiations. Commenting in2005 on an ARA investigation into the finances of leadingrepublican Thomas "Slab" Murphy, Gerry Adams described theagency's work as "hostile to the peace process".

Unfortunately, he did not go on to explain why heconsidered a legal body dedicated to tackling criminalityand gangsterism as an obstacle to peace, but he had madehis feelings towards the ARA known.

Those viewing the situation from a different angle wouldconsider that Mr Adams and his colleagues have now managedto negotiate the removal of the most important andsuccessful bulwark against organised crime in NorthernIreland.

These negotiations, we should remember, are aimed atgetting republicans to support policing and criminaljustice in the North. Yet, is there not somethingparadoxical about having to destroy the most vital elementsof a justice system to convince someone to support it?

If the price of Sinn Féin support for policing and law andorder is the wholesale destruction of anti-crime agenciesand the neutering of the PSNI, then how valuable is thatsupport?

In those circumstances, could one reasonably claim agenuine change in republican attitudes to the rule of law?Or would it not be more accurate to say that the rule oflaw had been contorted to fit with a republican viewpoint?

As well as expressing his surprise at the abolition of theARA, former member of the Patten commission, SenatorMaurice Hayes, commented the other day on policing in theNorth and what he called the "new term of civic policing".

He said: "It [civic policing] seems to envisage a policeservice that does not actually arrest anybody . . . andwhich is not equipped with the intelligence or the powersto counter modern, organised crime. This is certainly notthe police service envisioned by the Patten report".

Yet, it seems to be the only form of policing that will beacceptable to Sinn Féin. Frighteningly, in its eagerness tohave a Northern Assembly reinstated, it appears the Britishgovernment will be only too happy to deliver whatrepublicans want.

But what good a powersharing executive in Northern Irelandif we have to create a gangsters' paradise to achieve it?

The British of course deny suggestions that the abolitionof the ARA is linked to their attempts to secure republicansupport for policing in the North.

Their denial is simply not plausible.

If it wasn't linked, then why did they not delay a decisionon the ARA until after the March deadline for Assemblyelections to avoid just such a suspicion arising? Instead,it was conveniently scrapped just a few days before theSinn Féin ardchomhairle met to discuss whether to recommendsupport for the PSNI and criminal justice system to aspecial ardfheis.

The British also say that their planned merging of the ARAwith the London-based Serious Organised Crime Agency willincrease local operational efficiency.

This is absurd. The ARA is by far the most successfulagency of its kind in the UK. Making it part of a larger,more broadly focused and less successful organisation basedin Britain, can only dilute if not completely destroy itsability to tackle organised crime in Northern Ireland.

PSNI Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Orde, a man not noted forgoing public every time he disagrees with governmentpolicy, has expressed his reservations about the removal ofthe ARA.

He said he "remains to be convinced" that dissolving theagency is a good idea. Praising the work of the ARA, SirHugh said if its closure leaves gaps in the battle againstcrime, then he is prepared "to fill them with my own staff,because it is a vital part of the criminal justiceprocedure".

But that will not work.

Such is the nature and extent of modern organised crimethat the conventional structures of policing have provedinadequate in tackling it. It was for this reason thatdedicated agencies like the ARA were formed in the firstplace. Northern Ireland simply cannot afford to be leftwithout one.